Sizzle
by misspatchesmom
Summary: Early established TIVA; the heat wave continues into its third week. Part of the "You Complete Me" universe.


Sizzle

_Early established TIVA; the heat wave continues into its third week. _

Tony walked into Ziva's apartment carrying a large box and grinning. "Look what I got," he called out to her as he put the box on the coffee table.

She came from the kitchen where she had been preparing their lunch, hoping he had remembered to buy the items on the list she had sent him out with, including the tomatoes that she needed for lunch. He held up the two bags of groceries as she eyed the box.

"Okay, what did you get?" she was not in the mood to play any guessing games with him today. Day twenty-one of the heat wave had almost everyone short of temper and tired, including her.

"A table top grill!" he was proud of his find. "I have to go out to the car and get the gas cylinder." He handed her the bags of items from her list and grinned at her. "There is a flank steak in the bag for dinner. Will you make that marinade with the teriyaki sauce and orange juice, please?" He batted his eyes at her on his way to the door.

Ziva took the bags of food to the kitchen; she put two of the tomatoes on the cutting board, and pulled the flank steak package out of the other bag. The other groceries got put away for another meal. She rinsed the tomatoes and set them aside for slicing shortly.

In her glass baking dish, she mixed a cup of orange juice, soy sauce, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, minced garlic, a tablespoon of brown sugar, and dried onion flakes with a dash of olive oil. She scored both sides of the flank steak and placed the meat into the dish, turning it to coat all sides and covered the dish with plastic wrap. She placed it in the refrigerator to do its thing until dinner time.

Tony carried the propane gas cylinder into the apartment, placing it near the sliding door to Ziva's balcony. He used his knife to cut open the tape on the box containing the small grill. He looked over the contents and the instruction sheet, secretly glad that the grill was mostly assembled. Not that he couldn't assemble it, but he'd rather spend the time elsewise.

Ziva placed the tomato slices atop the cucumber and feta cheese with pita chips on two plates, sprinkling salt, pepper, and a dash of dill over all of it. She called to Tony that lunch was ready, "Mon petit pois, your lunch is ready!"

He grabbed the two nearly empty water glasses from the counter and filled both before sitting next to Ziva. "Mmm, looks good!" he commented as he picked up his fork. There was a time not so long ago that he would have balked at the Israeli salad for a meal. Ziva's cooking had changed his tastes in food for the better, although he still loved his pizza with extra cheese, pepperoni, and sausage. "Thanks, Sweetcheeks," he kissed her lightly on the lips and grinned at her.

"After the meal," she promised running a hand over his face grinning back at him. "So, how much work will it be to put your new grill together?"

"It's simple, really. Just have to attach the stand to the grill itself, connect the gas line and the gas cylinder, and boom it's ready to go," he told her what he remembered from the instruction sheet.

"Boom is not a good choice of words for something flammable, Tony," she glared at him. "I do not need another apartment blown up!"

He held up his hands, "Sorry, you know that's not what I meant… It should be very simple to set up, that's all I'm saying."

After they finished the meal, Ziva cleaned up the kitchen and washed the dishes while Tony took the grill out to the balcony to set up. He connected everything and turned on the gas and lit the flame to check that it worked. Ziva watched from inside as he held his hand over the grates, satisfied that the grill was working correctly. She watched him wipe sweat from his face as she filled the two glasses with ice and water.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks," he called to her through the open door. "Come check out our working grill!"

"Be right there," she replied, picking up a glass of water in each hand.

"Damn, it's hot out here!" he wiped more sweat from his face as she silently moved towards him. He bent over to shut down the gas feed to the grill, satisfied that all was working properly. She grinned and poured one of the glasses of ice water over his bent down head. He let out a yell of surprise and shook his head. Droplets of water sprayed her and hit the hot grates with a sizzle.

"Damn, woman," he pulled her to him, dripping onto her but grinning. "I should dump the other glass over your head…"

She offered it to him, smiling with a gleam in her eyes. He grabbed it and dumped it over both of them and then set it on the table next to the other empty glass. His eyes darkened and he pressed his lips to hers. She responded to the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"This kind of heat I like…" his voice trailed off as he scooped her into his arms and carried her inside. "Wanna get sweaty with me?"


End file.
